Archive: Apr 2015

Acadia Center today released a study that quantifies the grid and societal benefits of solar photovoltaic systems (solar PV) in Massachusetts. Establishing the value of distributed resources is increasingly important as states explore ways to meet energy needs and deploy clean energy resources. Acadia Center has also released a Value of Solar study for Connecticut, and Maine ‘s Public Utilities Commission recently completed a similar type of analysis. Acadia Center assessed the value of six hypothetical solar PV system configurations to better understand the overall value that solar PV provides to the grid. By evaluating an array of configurations, thisLearn More

…In order to make this energy future possible, we need to change the policies and financial incentives that motivate utilities and drive their decision-making. Acadia Center’s UtilityVision is a framework for an updated approach to energy regulation with four overarching principles for needed reforms…

…“Even with the tightening of the RGGI cap, it remains difficult to attribute specific quantities of emissions reductions to any single political, market or economic factor,” said Jordan Stutt, a policy analyst at Boston’s Acadia Center, a nonprofit that tracks the RGGI program. “However, the tightening of the cap has led to higher RGGI allowance prices, creating a more significant incentive to generate electricity from cleaner sources and to invest more heavily in energy efficiency.”…

Acadia Center, a nonprofit organization that researches and advocates innovative approaches to advance the clean energy future, has released “UtilityVision: Reforming the Energy System to Work for Consumers and the Environment.” The publication presents an ambitious but realistic energy future that puts the consumer firmly in the center.The report outlines the specific steps needed to create a new energy system that both meets our needs and supports a fair, healthy economy and environment.

Energy efficiency is saving New England consumers billions of dollars, according to a new report by Acadia Center. The group notes that efficiency measures put in place during the last 15 years have slashed peak demand and during the last winter cut overall demand by 14%.

A new study released this week by Acadia Center quantifies the grid and societal benefits of solar photovoltaic systems (solar PV) in Massachusetts. Establishing the value of distributed resources like rooftop solar is increasingly important as states explore ways to meet energy needs and deploy clean energy resources. Acadia Center assessed the value of six hypothetical solar PV system configurations to better understand the overall value that solar PV provides to the grid. The assessment determined that the value of solar to the grid—and ratepayers connected to the grid—ranges from 22-28 cents/kWh, with additional societal values of 6.7 cents/kWh. ThisLearn More

Energy efficiency savings lowered New England’s wholesale electricity prices by 24% in the winter of 2014, according to a report released Thursday by the Acadia Center, an energy advocacy group. Efficiency programs suppressed electric demand by 13.7% from January through March 2014, lowering payments to generators by $1.49 billion, the report said.

What do you know about our energy system? Some don’t know much more beyond sending a check every month to keep their lights on. Others are working to engineer new technologies to generate energy or researching and advancing policies to promote a clean energy future. There’s new info for all of these audiences at Acadia Center’s Earth Day Webinar, Utility Vision: Making the Energy System Work for Consumers and the Environment, which will discuss how the consumer can become an integral part of the energy system. As it stands now the energy system is largely one-directional, with the power flowingLearn More

National Grid will begin construction in Massachusetts on the first solar generation site in New England to pilot advanced technology; meanwhile, Acadia Center has released a study that quantifies the grid and societal benefits of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in Massachusetts.

A new report by Acadia Center on a study regarding the benefits of solar photovoltaic systems (solar PV) in Massachusetts , states that the solar is “increasingly important…to meet energy needs and deploy clean energy resources.”